Seniors Plead for Services as New Council Convenes

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst Town Council, January 8, 2024

By Maura Keene

Highlights

• Seniors decry space and budget for Senior Center
• Councilors begin presentation of Town Manager and council goals
• Each councilor chooses preferred title to be used during meetings
• Changes to Council Rules of Procedure passed
• Griesemer announces council committee assignments. Representatives chosen to the Jones Library Building Committee, Budget Coordinating Group, and Joint Capital Planning Committee
• Council issues proclamation honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This meeting was conducted in hybrid form and was recorded. It can be viewed here.

Present
Lynn Griesemer (President, District 2), Cathy Schoen and Freke Ette (District 1), Pat DeAngelis (District 2), Hala Lord and George Ryan (District 3), Pam Rooney and Jennifer Taub (District 4), Ana Devlin Gauthier and Bob Hegner (District 5), Mandi Jo Hanneke, Andy Steinberg, and Ellisha Walker (at large)

Staff: Paul Bockelman (Town Manager) and Athena O’Keeffe (Clerk of the Council)

Public Comment: Seniors Are Being Shortchanged
Three members of the Senior Center and Council on Aging came before the council to plead for more services and better facilities for seniors. Jeanne Horrigan, Chair of the Council on Aging, noted that seniors make up one-quarter of Amherst’s year-round population, yet the Senior Center budget is only 0.28% of the total town budget. She said, “A lack of financial resources and an unwelcoming building make it difficult for staff and volunteers to realize [their] vision” to help older adults maintain their independence and ability to age in place. She continued, “In my tenure at the Senior Center, I found it to be a friendly and welcoming place. However, it isn’t always a safe one. There have been numerous incidents which have been disturbing and scary for many people, including fires and public urination in front of the Bangs Center.”

Dick Yourga, president of the Friends of the Amherst Senior Center stated that the Senior Center is one of seven tenants at the Bangs Center, occupying only the lounge and a number of small offices. It must hold events, classes, lectures, and meetings in shared space. The Friends group purchased exercise equipment, but there is no place to put it. He said that ARPA funds are slated to be used for exercise space and to create a commercial kitchen for the center, but he expressed doubts that this would occur. 

Dennis Vandell noted that the Friends donated more than $25,000 for programs at the Senior Center, but the town’s contribution lags well behind neighboring towns. He said that the Amherst Senior Center functions with four full-time employees, while South Hadley has twice that number, and Amherst spends $41 per senior as opposed to $118 in South Hadley.

Presentation of Town Manager Goals for 2024
The previous council approved the Town Manager goals for 2024 and several councilors presented those goals, which are also the priorities of the council. Cathy Schoen spoke about major capital investments, inviting all new councilors to take a tour of the DPW and central fire station to see how inadequate they are. However, she said that, unlike the library and new elementary school project, there are no state funds available to replace them, and the town can only afford to do one of them at a time. Meanwhile, the town must continue to improve roads and sidewalks and to maintain town buildings.

Jennifer Taub remarked that she has not seen progress on replacing either the DPW or fire station in the five years the council has existed. Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the challenge has been to find a site for a new fire station and DPW. It now seems like the Hickory Ridge area may accommodate the fire station, and next year’s budget will include $100,000 for repairs to the DPW until a new building can be built. 

Taub then presented the five goals listed under Community Health and Safety: (1) Facilitate the implementation of the Residential Rental Bylaw; (2) Continue implementation and assessment of the Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) Department; (3) Propose to the Town Council a plan for the creation of a Resident Oversight Board consistent with the Council’s November 14, 2022 vote; (4) Undertake a review of public safety protocols consistent with the Council’s November 14, 2022 votes; and (5) Develop programming for youth empowerment.

George Ryan objected to the fact that the Senior Center was not mentioned under Community Health and Safety, and was listed along with a youth center and a community center, not as its own entity under major capital investments. Council President Lynn Griesemer noted that the Bangs Center functions as a community center, and Mandi Jo Hanneke said that, if a new building was constructed, it could accommodate all three functions.

Ellisha Walker then explained how the Racial Equity and Social Justice initiatives of the town arose from the tragic death of George Floyd in 2020, and resulted in the council passing a Resolution against Structural Racism in December of that year and the creation of the Community Safety Working Group (CSWG). The CSWG developed recommendations to move Amherst to become an anti-racist community, some of which have been accepted such as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Department and CRESS, and others which are pending. She said, “Amherst must intensify its efforts to continue to build a town based on equity, unity, and social justice, and to use a social justice lens to dismantle structural racism.”

Pat DeAngelis stated that dismantling structural racism should be “the first goal of the council, because it affects everything we do.” She added, “I think, as a body, we need to do what we did a few years ago and address antiracism and address it as a council and address it as the 13 individuals that we are. One workshop five years ago doesn’t do, it doesn’t change us.” Hala Lord emphasized that the town should look at anti-Black racism separately from antiracism in general.

The council will hear presentations on economic vitality, housing affordability, and climate action at the January 22 meeting. Further discussion about the Town Manager goals will be a major part of the council retreat, which will probably be held in February.

What’s in a Name—How Councilors Want to Be Addressed
For all of its five-years existence, the council has referred to councilors by their first names. However, at the suggestion of Walker, Rule 6.3 of the Council Rules of Procedure was rewritten so that councilors could indicate their preference for how they want to be addressed.

Ryan said, “There’s something to be said for distinguishing between the individual and the role. Addressing someone as Councilor X is very formal. On the other hand, it reinforces the sense that there’s a big difference between you as a person and you as a public official.” 

Griesemer then asked how each councilor wanted to be addressed. Schoen, Griesemer, Taub, Pam Rooney, DeAngelis, Ana Devlin Gauthier, Bob Hegner, and Andy Steinberg all preferred to be called by their first names. Hanneke, Walker, Lord, and Ryan asked to be called by their last name preceded by the title of “Councilor.” Freke Ette wanted to be called Ette. Many councilors also indicated their preferred pronouns and put them on their screens. Griesemer correctly used the preferred terms of address during the meeting, but near the end of the evening, DeAngelis suggested that it would be simpler if everyone was referred to as “Councilor X.” The topic will be reintroduced at the next meeting.

Changes Made to Council Rules of Procedure
Over the past year, the Governance, Operations, and Legislation Committee has been studying the Council Rules of Procedure (ROP) developed in the council’s first year in order to make relevant changes. Council Clerk Athena O’Keeffe aided in making the ROP consistent with council policies. Most of the discussion centered on how long before a meeting materials for the packet need to be submitted to the clerk and what items should not be placed on the consent agenda. 

The proposed changes to Rules 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 were adopted unanimously. The changes are marked in red in the draft. The clean copy can be read here. The remainder of the ROP will be discussed at the next meeting.

Councilor Committee Assignments
Based on preferences submitted to her during the week, Griesemer made the following assignments to council committees:

Community Resources Committee
Pat DeAngelis
Freke Ette
Mandi Jo Hanneke
Pam Rooney
Jennifer Taub

Finance Committee
Mandi Jo Hanneke
Bob Hegner
Cathy Schoen
Andy Steinberg
Ellisha Walker

Governance, Organization and Legislation
Ana Devlin Gauthier
Pat DeAngelis
Freke Ette
Lynn Griesemer
George Ryan

Town Services and Outreach
Bob Hegner
Hala Lord
George Ryan
Andy Steinberg
Jennifer Taub

DeAngelis objected to two councilors from the same district being on several committees. Taub said she didn’t think this was an issue, but pointed out that some councilors have been on the same committee for all five years of the council (Schoen and Steinberg on Finance and Hanneke on CRC). Griesemer thanked them for their input, but said, “The appointments stand as I made them.”

Rooney Elected to Jones Library Building Committee
With Anika Lopes no longer on the council, Pam Rooney was elected by the councilors to represent the council on the Jones Library Building Committee. Rooney cited her experience in construction and construction management as qualifications for the position. Steinberg and Hanneke expressed interest in serving, but withdrew prior to the vote. Hegner and Ryan withdrew after Rooney received the most votes (6), but not a majority. That left Rooney as the only remaining candidate.

Hanneke, Griesemer, Steinberg and Lord were selected for the Budget Coordinating Group, and Devlin Gauthier, Hegner, Schoen, and Ryan will represent the council on the Joint Capital Planning Committee.

Devlin Gauthier will inform the council about legislation relevant to the council at the state and federal level through a monthly written report.

MLK Proclamation Accepted
The council accepted the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. Proclamation to commemorate the upcoming holiday. Walker read the last two paragraphs:

WHEREAS the Amherst Town Council encourages Amherst residents to observe this holiday not only by reflecting on Dr. King’s legacy, but also by actively serving others. 

NOW, THEREFORE, we the Amherst Town Council, proclaim January 15, 2024 as a day to recognize and remember the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the dreams and ideals for which he stood. Let the Town of Amherst reflect upon its commitment to continue the challenge that all people will live his dreams. 

There will be a ceremonial reading of the proclamation in honor of King on Monday, January 15, 2024, 1:00 p.m. at the Bangs Community Center followed by a dedication ceremony. Walker will be the lead council representative at the ceremony.

Town Manager Submits a Detailed Report
Bockelman’s Town Manager Report  is reprinted in this issue of the Indy. He emphasized the uptick in Covid-19 cases locally and nationally, which is expected to peak in the next few weeks. Although this increase in cases is not as great as the peak with the Omicron variant, it is still notable. He pointed out that only 20% of Amherst residents have received the latest vaccine.

Devlin Gauther congratulated Bockelman on his election as Second Vice President of the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association. 

The meeting adjourned at 9:47 p.m. The next meeting will be January 22. The February 5 meeting will include a meeting with the three current members of the Amherst Housing Authority to choose an additional two members for that committee.

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